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News and commentary from the RSS and OPML community.

A reporter ask me via e-mail...

Do you think there is any danger behind these sites --- there is lots of hype about cyberstalking and kids getting busted for nudity and underage drinking/drugs on their pages?

I replied to him, but I thought I would copy my statements here. My reply follows.

MySpace is a social Website where people can meet, chat and generally entertain themselves. People in general (but teenagers in particular) are extremely bored and are looking for ways to entertain and express themselves. Teenagers and young adults have found MySpace to be a very good outlet for their boredom.
There is no danger behind MySpace. What MySpace does is occupy people who would likely be doing something much worse if they didn't have that vent. There's cyberstalking, nudity and drug talk. But, at least it's online where real physical damage is rare. The alternative is gangs, sex and drug usage. Which would you prefer?

What do you think?

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If you SERIOUSLY think the site should shut down then kill yourselfs. If people are being CyberStalked then they are giving out info at their own risk and telling people where they are. It is THERE faults...not Tom's. MySpace is a great site to meet some kick-ass people...live with it
Even IF the rumor were true (though it's not) and MySpace shut down, there would be another online site for the masses to flock to and all of the horrid stuff we hear about would happen all over again. 

It's NOT MySpace's fault that these things happen, but they ought to TRY implementing more (or better) privacy measures.

It all boils down to this: adults need TALK to their children AND check THOROUGHLY on their kid's activities (and not just on the comupter!)--it's called "PARENTING".
i think people should just watch there  children and then ages from 12 and up can go and if parents dont want to watch there children then they should get rid of there computer and if the dont want to do that then they should put there computer in there room and when there not home then they should lock it
Myspace is not bad it is a fun and great place to talk with your friiends

ya my space is fun to talk to people like friends and post pictures but look at the people that go missing and are socially solicited

I am a parent, but I think the danger of sexual predators is part hype, and it's hard to know how much.  My comments won't be understood by parents who approve of TV, and I'm sorry for you kids for condescending: you won't understand either.  To parents who restrict TV I suggest cutting off Myspace from your children: like TV or sugar, it's not for them.


What I have seen so far is that the site isn't just kids watching commercials. No, it's rather like kids becoming commercials, as if it's an audition.  What brand of sneaker are you like?  What kinds of mood are you in: Coke or Pepsi?  What is your favorite movie; favorite soft drink; favorite jeans. Such questions form the superficial identities of Myspace members. Everything is multiple choice, and the choices are all commercial. This isn't sexual predation.  It's subtle brainwashing.  Myspace offers choices that encourage kids to think of themselves as products.  They are free to write anything they like, I suppose.  But the site itself influences kids to be bimbos.  The predators aren't crazed outsiders and psychopaths. The predator is the huge system that built the site and that wants your child to be shallow.  On Myspace such children are being cultivated like a cash crop. 

Some poeple defend Myspace like this: would you rather kids be doing drugs?  Look in a dictionary: there are millions of things to do.  I would rather kids be talking to each other face to face, or by e-mail or a hundred other ways.
Mexican r what keps the USA going!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AND MYSPACE IS COOL!!!!ITS THE KIDS WHO ACT ALL SLUTTY'S FAULT!!!!
Mexican r what keps the USA going!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AND MYSPACE IS COOL!!!!ITS THE KIDS WHO ACT ALL SLUTTY'S FAULT!!!!
Mexican r what keps the USA going!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AND MYSPACE IS COOL!!!!ITS THE KIDS WHO ACT ALL SLUTTY'S FAULT!!!!
Mexican r what keps the USA going!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AND MYSPACE IS COOL!!!!ITS THE KIDS WHO ACT ALL SLUTTY'S FAULT!!!!
Y r u getin so mad over this MY SPACE stuff i mean we r kids and y'all sould get over it yea it is not safe but i mean wat is in the world i mean just walkin outside u could get killed people can track u down anywere u r My Space is not the only thing that is dangerous i can name lots of thing AIM,MSN,YAHOO and chat rooms and other things to u ppl just need to get a life

I think that myspace is safe.. and as a teenager i love myspace. I have a myspace and the way i keep myself safe is to block my page from people that are not my friedns and i also don`t five away where im from. When you sign up for myspace you have a choose of putting where you live and where you are from. Its not just myspace that is dangerous there are many other site that are just as mad like aim, icq,msn,yahoo ... they all use the same things, and teenagers love them. So i think that myspace is just fine

uhh yeah i totally agree that myspace is bad for younger children.. but why would they have a myspace anyway? some do, but it's not like their stupid enough to go meet someone they met. it's much safer for teens cause they know what they're getting themselves into. and most people don't give out personal info and they don't talk to people they don't know.

i think that my space is very dangerous and that they dont know wat they are gettin  there selfs into.one day they could end up meeting eachother and one of them could end up getting killed or raped thats why i think my space is dangerous

 

  • i just think every body should stop going on my space but they are too stupid enough to keep going on but if they get kidnapped or raped or killed then its not going to be our fault because we warned them  well thats all i have to say about  people getting on my space peace
  •  

I MYSELF, GO TO MY SPACE WHEN I AM BORED. I HAVE RECONNECTED WITH OLD FRIENDS AND MADE NEW ONES. I THINK ITS A FUN HARMLESS SIGHT, AND THE PROBLEM IS THE PARENTS OF THESE KIDS THAT ARE LYING ABOUT THERE AGES ETC ETC, IT IS THE PARENTS RESPONSIBILITY TO MONITOR WHAT THERE KIDS ARE DOING ON LINE AND SET UP PARENTAL CONTROLLS AND PASWORDS  , SO THAT THERE CHILDREN ONLY HAVE ACSESS TO WHAT THEY APPROVE AND THEN THEY SHOULD MONITOR WHAT THEY ARE DOING ON THESE SITES, IF THEY ARE TOO DAMN LAZY TO DO THAT, THEN THEY SHOULD NOT COMPLAIN WHEN THERE KID DOES STUPID SHIT  ON LINE . AND YES I DO HAVE KIDS, 3 OF THEM, SO IM NOT JUST TALKING OUT OF MY ASS, WHEN THEY CHOSE TO HAVE KIDS DID THEY NOT KNOW ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM FOR 18 YRS, AND IF SO MAYBE FOSTER CARE IS A GOOD IDEA FOR THOSE KIDS,

FROM SHAINATUCHES DD@MYSPACE.COM

I dont think that myspace is dangerous at all..I think that if people are that STUPID to hook up with a guy they dont even know on myspace..then thats their on stupidity and all of us should not have to suffer!!

If u want to explain to me if u have another opinion..then email me at bball0luvr11@AOL.com but I doubt I will change my mind!

thanx<33Amanda

 

I totally agree with someone up there who said.."if u get rid of myspace then u might as well get rid of playgrounds, malls, and ect"...I think that if they want to make a big deal out of STUPID people gettin raped on myspace..they really need to count up the number of people raped on myspace..and than count up the people who got raped by just walking down the damn street..now Im pretty freakin sure that the second one is MUCH GREATER

if u wanna talk to me email me at bball0luvr11@AOL.com thanx<33

I believe that myspace is not a waste of time and anyone who opposes this should just go to hell and get a life.....

MYSPACE IS THE BEST!!!! i think that people should chill out and not all kids are stupid enough to go meet someone online. Not all children are dumb and naive. Some of us are brought up with principles and teachings to choose the right thing to do. I know I've been able to keep in touch with so many of my friends that i hadn't seen in forever because of myspace. And if it wasn't for it i wouldn't have known anything about them. but i do agree that 13 and 14 year olds shouldn't be on it trying to act older with their almost nude photos. i think the parents should take care of that instead of the whole media.

one more thing....stop being racist and stereotyping hispanics.

okai uMM.. i been online since i was like 10 or 11?? im 17 now.. i haven't gotten raped, kidnapped, or anything.. im tired of everyone blaming myspace!!! if the kids were smart enough they would never give their information up like oh i live in chicago.. my address is 645 bay tree dr. please come and visit.. you seem cool..

Anyone who gets kidnapped through myspace most likely deserves it. I mean, come on? If your not mature enough to be using the internet, let alone myspace, then you have a REALLY high chance of getting kidnapped. And there are ALOT of children out there, that think that they are all posh and smart, and won't get kidnapped, so they should make friends on the internet. Some kids who are ignored in school, have no real friends, ect. ect. They go to myspace for friends. Some people, pretend to be friendly, and then finally recieve of the kids trust. Naturally these children might think, "Whats the harm? I've known ____ for 2 months! He/she seems really nice." Some people put in fake pictures to look like they are the same age as the children.

 

Now, I'm dissapointed to say, that when this post was first made, there were some reasonable arguements, now I've read a couple of the latest posts, and all I can say, I don't need to debate with a couple of 14 year olds that don't know how to spell. :)

I personally don't care if they shut down myspace. I've reviewed this with my son, and he does go on myspace. I know/trust that he is careful, especially ever since I let him put his picture up. He shows me all his friends, and talks to me about it. I've clearly reviewed with him dangers, and I am currently keylogging everything he says does. Its suprising how he doesn't have much to hide. He shows me some of the random messages he gets, and they are leading to porn sites, or some random 14 year old girl going "haii babe ur hott?".

If they shut down myspace, kids will find another place to get kidnapped. Its just like that. You can't stop it, but you can take control of it.

 

- Katie (hereinyourarmsxx@hotmail.com)

 

P.S. YEAH. I CAN BE HIP! *points to email address*

Heres my view on it:

I'm 16 years old and of course I have a myspace.

I've never gotten raped, harassed, etc..whatever. I'm not saying that it couldn't happen. I'm just saying that it hasn't. And do you know why? Because I'm not stupid. I don't add people I don't know nor do I talk to them. I use myspace to talk to my friends and family. I also don't get friend requests from 30-40 year old men. Because my pictures are appropriate. If your 14 and you have a picture up of you half naked, of course some old guy is going to get horny and probably start messaging you. That is your own stupidity.

I'm not saying that the fault is just on the children. It is also on the rapists, stalkers, killers, etc.. They shouldn't be on MySpace talking to 14, 15 yr old girls anyways. That doesn't stop them though. Us, as children and even many adults, have the chance to protect ourselves though.

Thats just my view on it though.

-Kelly

 

I think it all deals with common sense. Why in the world would you post all your information on your myspace page where other people can view it! I like myspace alot, because I was able to get in touch with family members, long lost friends etc. All the friends that I have accepted on myspace are people that I know! COMMON SENSE! And I think you grown folks are making a big deal out of nothing! We just want to be teenagers! Is that to much to ask? I also think that you all need to stop bothering myspace and start worrying about the crazy people that abducted those kids!

What's next a 15 year old boy trips and falls to check his messages on myspace? Hmmm.... Let's see oh yeah it would be myspace' fault right? Get over yourselves! SERIOUSLY

-Mzxfactor

I think you all need to take a look in the mirror. You're all wasting your time argueing about this MySpace bullshit on some stupid internet forum sheet. Argueing about it with one another isn't going to stop your kids' actions on the web. Just a thought.
or the predators, for that matter. :]
mwahahahaa I'm a predator mwahahahaa HERE I GO! I'M GOING TO RAPE THE WORLD!!
dude screw myspace, screw all you pansies and your moms, screw the internet, and screw predators. I'm going to this place called "outdoors" where there's this thing called "sunlight" and "social activity"

losers

Having just warned a young relative about posting far too much personal info. on myspace,  I am intrigued by what this forum reveals about teenage users of myspace and concerned adults.

Does anyone teach spelling and punctuation in the schools these days? Kids, you may be able to get away with "your" for "you're", "wut" for "what", and a veritable alphabet soup of one-letter abbreviations as long as you are online - but the real world is waiting for you, and it doesn't tolerate bad grammar, constant mispellings, and lack of punctuation. Spellcheck doesn't always help. Learn the stuff, will you, please? And - get offline and read a good book once in a while. It is entertaining, will stretch your mind and imagination, and help your spelling, vocabulary, and grammar in ways that are impossible for the Internet to do.

As for the dangers - they are real. Scary stuff. My young relative is bright - always on her high school's honor roll -  but is evidently a bit naive. Of course I knew her name, and was checking for some of her athletic records from her school  when I happened upon her myspace entry instead.

When I took a look at the entry, I found her full name, her school, her city and state, her zodiac sign, her brother's name, her dog's name, her hobbies, her favorite books, music, movies, and poetry.

I found her best friends' names and pictures, along with clear photos of herself, her brother, her parents, and her dog, and some very questionable language and references in posts addressed to her.

I emailed her and told her I was concerned for her safety - if I could get this far in about five minutes, a determined predator could find out even more, including her street address, as her brother is named for their father and their surname is unusual and their neighborhood could be easily located, since she included her school. I asked her not to make it so easy...and thankfully, she has made some - not enough, imho, but some - changes to her entry.

But as another person noted here, this sort of information adds up, and can stick around to become very burdensome in a few years.  Google caches old information, and because of this, it is sometimes possible to view an older unedited entry that is not directly accessible via myspace.

So  if you are determined to use myspace, take heed. Use a fake name and avoid posting seemingly harmless info such as that included by my relative. Think twice before posting photos of yourself or your friends. Watch what - and how - you post to your friends, and delete any messages you receive that look questionable. Make use of the privacy options that myspace offers.

Most of the teens posting here have vehemently denied that myspace is dangerous, and  have vigorously claimed that they know how to keep themselves safe. They are sadly mistaken in the first instance - and I hope they are correct in the second, but see little evidence of judgement and maturity in their posts here. There is intelligence and passion in many cases,  absolutely, and thoughtfulness in some as well. But maturity is a very rare commodity in a typical person in their mid-teen years, and I see little of it in the posts here from people who've identified themselves as teenagers.

So, dear teens, we older folks aren't as paranoid and untrusting as you appear to think. We're glad to learn that you think you have enough common sense to avoid obvious predators and stalkers.

It's the ones who aren't so obvious that we worry about...

Be safe - and learn to spell, please!

From CJ's Grownup Relative

 

 

 

 

 

 

.......? myspace=bad

signed 14 yr old

OK my brothers told me some 1 got kidnapped on Myspace and he claimed all he put was he's first initial  and the city and state he lived in and he got kidnapped. They claim he got tracked down because he put up that little bit of information i don't think that possible...I'm only on there so i can talk 2 famous people. And even if they is famous I'm not giving out all my info and stuff.

-sighed a 14 year old 

Myspace should be used with caution, but we should not get all freaked out over it like this. The bottom line is that one should NEVER, EVER under ANY circumstances go to meet someone that they don't know and for mercy's sake don't let them into your houses!!!

I have a myspace and I used it to keep in touch with my friends from back home in the states (I live in France now) and any information that I want only my friends to see I put as "friends only" on the blog entries.

There is also code that you can find to hide your friends list, and your comments. So-- you can decorate your profile etc. put music on it, but anyone lurking cannot see who you're friends are or what type of things they are saying that might give away your routine or other personal information.

The only other thing to do after posting personal info as friends only, hiding your friends list, and comments is to be incredibly selective about who you add to be your friend.

The comments are meant for you anyway-- no one else needs to read them. Also, a person can set their profile to private now too. So if you don't want to go through the trouble of finding the code then you can simply make your profile private.

There are enough security measures in place so that you can guard your personal information as well as enjoy your time on the internet. It is sheer stupidity that people don't take advantage of the tools available to make them safer.

So if you are worried about all of this-- make your profile private AND/OR hide comments, and friends list. It can be done-- you just have to look into it. Its not that hard.

Parents who are worried their children are on myspace etc. explain the dangers to them and ask them to hide their friends list and comments-- once they realize that they have creepy pedophiles viewing their page and getting their jollies they will want to make their profile more private-- I promise-- its gross.

So yeah those are just my thoughts. Do with them what you will...

Hey, all I can say is no matter what the circumstance, you face danger every single day.  It's up to you to decide how to handle the dangers.  Whether you're at the mall, the movies, the street, the hallways at school, the public library, or online, no one is MAKING you put out personal information and no one is MAKING you talk to anyone.

 

I don't have a myspace anymore because I was getting harassed by a group of girls (that was partly my fault because I responded to their idiotic pathetic remarks) but when I did have it, I went onto Google and found html/hiding codes for my profile so I could block my details section, my friends list, my top 4/8/12/24, and my comments.  No one knew where my hometown was, my school, my zodiac sign, my birthday, my sexual orientation, etc. 

People are being lazy; thats it.  People aren't being smart enough to go onto a website and find codes to hide information on your website.

 

Now, go look in the mirror and see who is responsible for all these stupid kidnappings and sexual assaults, etc.

Parents need to teach their kids to learn how to properly maintain a website profile like Myspace. 

I think for the future, we're going to have to teach our kids how to handle the internet just like Tornado's, what to do when a stranger talks to you on the street, Fire's, etc.

 

kids are so stupid putting there shit upp.. their fault myspace is da shiznit

myspace is the shit.

 

 It could only be dangerous if people put the information that is personal on the site, those people are just asking to be part of cyberstalking.

JUST PUT YO PAGE ON PRIVATE AND YOU WILL BE OKAY
how is myspace dangerous? um if myspace is the reason people are being kidnapped, and it a chat site. dont just shut down myspace. i want EVERY CHAT PLACE SHUT DOWN. no you say? why? becasue they did nothing you say? neither did myspace. people are just stupid and fall for the shit people say to them and they go (like idiots) and meet the person. in the end did myspace drag you where the people were? no!!
i know how it's dangerous..... KIDS ARE GETTING KILLED AND RAPED THATS HOW!
Shut it down kids are getting raped from this Shut it down

ok....my view on myspace is IT IS DANGEROUS ONLY IF YOU MAKE IT THAT WAY....yup! the only peps who are getting raped or goin missing are the dumb people w/ very revealing pics, thier addy or number, what they do or where they hang out.....and the clueless children who lied and are under 14!!!! thier is an age requirement for a reason.....you haven't experienced high school yet, and in order to see the real world you have to go to high school...then you can get a myspace.....sooooooooooooo

1-dont post skanky pics or messages

2-be over 14

3-dont give out any personal info....thats just another way of saying "come get me!" and thats pretty dumb.....ur friends aren't the only ones viewing the site!!!!!

I think MYSPACE is fine. but its only a danger if u make it one. Like if u go...hey my name is so and so and i live here...its the blue house...and my room is here. its not smart. Dont be stupid about it. Put it under private if need be.
Hey, for the person that uses the blog marked "for friends only," I would like to let you know many good web designers and coders can hack into them. I know how to hack into almost any profile, but obviously I will not do it for ethical reasons. There are other very intelligent coders, such as myself, that don't have any sort of moral values whatsoever. I really think you better not, under any circumstance, post any personal information. What if you have an old friend, who suddenly turns on you, screen shot the blog and sends it to your parents, teachers or enemies? Get the picture? Don't trust anybody, especially your friends!

not myspace's fault that all these shit happens..

its that person's fault that told that predator where he/she lives and all that

not myspace's fault that all these shit happens..

its that person's fault that told that predator where he/she lives and all that personal

oops. add shit after personal..^ thats my comment...[above this comment]

To the idiot who posted on May 1 2006 at about 20:00 GMT, CHECK YOUR SPELLING AND DON'T USE ALL CAPS.

But what I think is obvious: teens are freaking idiots. If they didn't go all HEY MY NAME IS FIRST LAST AND I LIVE IN NUMBER ADDRESS CITYSTATE ZIP COUNTRY we'd have a lot less of these problems. But we don't. Because [see italicized text above].

  1. MYspace can only b dangerous if u let it bee!  it can be possible 2 b raped or kidnapped if u are careless and give out personal info! u can block us site from peepol u dont know! 
I THINK MYSPACE ISN'T BAD BECAUSE SOME KIDS ARE MATURE ENOUGH TO KNOW NOT TO GET ANY INFORMATION OUT TO PEOPLE THEY DON'T KNOW BUT MY PARENTS MONITOR MY PAGE SO THAT NO PERVERTS TRY TO CONTACT ME WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT KIDS WANNA HAVE FUN TOO I HIGHLY THINK THAT SOMEONE SHOULD MAKE A THING FOR KIDS UNDER THE AGE OF 14 A SITE LIKE MYSPACE BUT ONLY KIDS BUT THEIR ARE DANGERS TO THAT CAUSE PEOPLE CAN PUT LITTLE KIDS PICTURES ON THEIR SO ACTING LIKE THEM BUT I THINK THAT THE WAY TO GET INTO IT IS MAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU ON IT AND HAVE A SIGN SAYING IT BUT IF YOU DON'T AGREE WITH ME YOU DON'T HAVE ITS JUST MY OPINION FORREAL  

FOR THE PERSON UP THEIR THAT SAID HE OR SHE WAS GOING TO RAPE THE WORLD YOU NEED TO LIVE KIDS ALONE CAUSE IF POLICE FIND YOU AND PUT YOU IN PRISON THEY ARE GOING TO KILL YOU FOR MESSING WITH KIDS LIKE THAT MAN FORREAL GO BURN IN HELL CAUSE GOD DON'T EXCEPT BUT GUESS WHAT THE DEVIL DOES AND HES WAITING FOR YOU SO BURN IN HELL WHILE EVERYONE ELSE ENJOY THEIR LIFE CAN'T THEIR BE A WORLD WITHOUT FILTHY TRASHY NASTY PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD BUT YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT I THINK PEOPLE ARE REALLY LOW DOWN AND NEED TO GO TO HELL AND STOP KIDNAPPING KIDS, RAPPING THEM, AND KILLING THEM KIDS DIDN'T COME TO THE WORLD AND THEN DIE WHEN THEIR BETWEEN THE AGES 1 AND 12 BECAUSE WHEN I HAVE MY OWN KIDS IM TEACHING THEM RIGHT FROM WRONG IF THEY EVER GET A MYSPACE IT WILL BE MONITORED EVERY SINGLE MINUTE THEIR ON AND ALL THE OTHER MOTHERS THAT HAVE CHILDREN ON MYSPACE NOW WATCH THEM THERE ARE ABOUT 20,000 PREDATORS ONLINE AND THERE IS A WAY YOU CAN STOP THAT BY NOT LETTING OR CHILDREN ON THE INTERNET BY THEIRSELVES THATS WHAT YOU NEED TO WAKE UP TO AND FOR ALL PREDATORS BURN IN HELL   

myspace is not 2 bad i as a mom let my  11 yr old son hav aa myspace only cuz hees responsible

                 >sam>

 

There's dangers everywhere online.  Kids need to be taught and be smart.  Gift Ideas For Boyfriend
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